The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for separating liquid and particulate matter from a gaseous fluid. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for inducing a centrifugal flow in the gaseous fluid, wherein a scrubbing action of the liquid and particulate matter with a scrubbing plane allows separation from the gaseous fluid.
Mechanical fluid separators or "cyclone type" separators are well known in the art for separating liquid and particulate matter from a gaseous fluid or fluid stream. Mechanical fluid separators work well with mixed media, i.e., entrained media such as gas/solid, gas/liquid, or gas/solid/liquid combinations. For brevity, entrained media shall refer to both particulate matter (solid matter) and liquid matter as described herein.
Mechanical fluid separators have found a wide range of uses from reducing dust particles and contaminants in an office environment to removing saw dust, wood Chips, and metal filings in an industrial complex. Fluid separators are generally incorporated into systems which include other process machinery. Fluid separators are thus subject to abundant vibration induced by the other process machinery. It is therefore beneficial for fluid separators to incorporate features which inherently diminish the effect of such vibration. It is also beneficial for the fluid separators to withstand a vibration prone environment while resisting resonant vibration and mechanical stresses. Such features reduce noise and provide greater reliability.
Mechanical fluid separators generally induce a centrifugal flow with the heavier entrained media scrubbing a circumferential wall of the vessel. The heavier media then drain down to a sump through gravity while the gaseous fluid continues about a predetermined path. Since the entrained matter is generally heavier than the gaseous fluid, it is drawn toward the sides of an annular vessel. As the entrained matter scrubs against the sides of the vessel, it becomes separated from the fluid and falls downwardly to a container through the force of gravity. Prior examples of mechanical fluid separators include McNeil, U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,068 and Bielefeldt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,121. However, to accomplish the required features, the mechanical fluid separator have incorporated a complicated shape which requires substantial steps during manufacture.